Gardening for Health

With the sun rays beaming and great weather, summer is an ideal time to spend time gardening. While gardening provides delicious produce, it can also offer a plethora of health benefits beyond fresh fruits and vegetables.

Gardening can be quite physical, whether it be reaching down to plant seeds or carrying heavy bags of compost. Activities such as digging, raking, and mowing can increase strength and burn as many calories as other forms of moderate exercise. 

Spending more time outside allows gardeners to experience increased sun exposure, which means they can benefit from extra vitamin D (while taking appropriate precautions to protect themselves from the sun). According to the National Institution of Health, vitamin D helps to decrease inflammation and regulate processes such as cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and glucose metabolism.

Growing your own food can lead to healthier eating habits as homegrown produce offers improved nutrition. Home gardeners can enhance the health of their soil by adding organic compost and minerals. This can enrich the soil's biological activity, supporting plant growth and maximizing nutritional benefits.